Hello all,
I have a 99 Ranger XLT 4wd 3.0 5spd. My question to anyone & everyone is: can I swap a front axle from a 2001 ranger into my 99? I read that in 2001 Ford replaced the pulse vacuum hub setup to a live hub. I did put in manual lockouts in place of the PVH but I'm lazy and don't want to get out and turn the lockouts. Does anyone have a links to some site that can step me through it? I'm up for a challenge.

 

I believe the only things that need to change are the bearing hub assemblies, and the CV axles. The differential itself should be the same. I can't remember if there was a difference in the steering knuckle or brakes, but I don't think there was. Newer trucks (2003+) have bigger rotors and therefore different steering knuckles, so keep your parts 2001-2002 if you can unless you want to swap the bigger rotor setup.

 

And you can leave the manual hubs Locked all the time, doesn't hurt anything, that's what the swap would do, always locked front hubs, "Live Axle"